Serial protocol for agile sample rate switching

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a communication protocol and serial interface having an approximately fixed interface clock and capable of accommodating a variety of communication rates. The interface employs a variable-length frame that may be expanded or reduced to obtain a desired communication rate, even though the interface clock rate is held approximately constant. The invention further provides a method for designing an agile barrier interface. In particular, the barrier clock rate is preferably selected to be an approximate common multiple of the various communication rates that the barrier interface must handle. The frame length corresponding to each communication rate may then be obtained by dividing the barrier clock rate by the ΣΔ rate. Finally, the invention provides an agile barrier capable of communicating data across a serial interface at a variety of data rates and at an approximately fixed interface clock rate.

CROSS-REFERENCES

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No.11/159,614 filed Jun. 23, 2005 and is also acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/159,537filed Jun. 23, 2005, which are incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to digital communication betweenline-side and system-side circuits in a modem or digital accessarrangement (“DAA”).

BACKGROUND

A modern modem 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1, typically includes adigital signal processor or microprocessor 102, a coder/decoder(“codec”) 132 for converting digital signals from the DSP 102 to ananalog form capable of transmission over a telephone line and forconverting analog signals from the telephone line to digital form, andhigh-voltage (“HV”) components 130 that interface with the telephoneline. In order to isolate the DSP 102 from voltage fluctuations on thetelephone line, the codec function is conventionally implemented via twocircuits—a system-side interface circuit (“SSIC”) 106 and a line-sideinterface circuit (“LSIC”) 118, which communicate across an isolationbarrier 117.

The SSIC 106 includes a system I/O interface 108 for communication withthe DSP 102, a conventional sigma-delta modulator 112 for convertingforward-going data signals to forward-going sigma-delta signals, aconventional integrator-based sigma-delta decoder circuit for decodingreverse-going sigma-delta signals into data signals, and an isolationbarrier interface circuit 114 for transmitting and receiving sigma-deltasignals to and from the LSIC 118 across the isolation barrier 117. TheSSIC 106 may further include a protocol framing circuit 116, whichfunctions to organize the data transmitted and received by the isolationbarrier interface circuit 114, and a barrier clock controller 113 andassociated voltage-controlled oscillator 115, which together form avariable-rate clock generator for generating the barrier clock signal.

The LSIC 118 includes an isolation barrier interface circuit 120, aline-side sigma-delta digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”) 126 whoseoutput is connected to a transmit buffer 128, and a sigma-deltaanalog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) 122 whose input is connected to areceive buffer 124. The LSIC 118 may further include a conventionalclock-and-data recovery circuit 125 to derive a local clock signal fromthe received signals from the isolation barrier. Each of isolationbarrier interface circuits 114, 120 may be any suitable isolationbarrier interface circuit for communication across an isolation barrier,such as that described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/159,537and 11/159,614 incorporated above.

Conventional modems typically also must accommodate a wide variety ofcommunication rates. For example, a modem complying with the CCITT v.34standard must be capable of communicating at a variable symbol rate (orbaud rate) that may range from 2400 Hz-3429 Hz, as illustrated in Table1 below. TABLE 1 Symbol rate Sample rate ΣΔ Rate Application [Hz] [Hz][MHz] V.34 2400 7200 1.8432 Audio N/A 8000 2.0480 V.34 2743 8228 2.1066V.34 2800 8400 2.1504 V.34 3000 9000 2.3040 V.34 3200 9600 2.4576 V.343429 10287 2.6335 Audio/ N/A 11025 2.8224 optional

If the ADC sampling rate is selected to be factor of 3 times the symbolrate, the ADC 122 must have a sampling rate ranging from 7200 Hz-10,287Hz (and as high as 11,025 Hz if the telephone signal is an analog audiosignal rather than a digital modem signal). In addition, the sigma-delta(ΣΔ) rate is conventionally selected so that the analog signal isoversampled at a predetermined multiple (e.g., 256) times the samplingrate. As such, the sigma-delta ACD 122 must operate at a sigma-deltarate that ranges between 1.843 MHz and 2.822 MHz.

This wide range of the required sigma-delta rate (1.843 MHz-2.822 MHz)represents a design constraint on the barrier interface (thecommunication link formed by interface circuits 114 and 120 andisolation barrier 117). For successful full-duplex operation, duringeach ΣΔ sample interval, one forward ΣΔ sample and one reverse ΣΔ samplemust be communicated across the isolation barrier between the SSIC 106and the LSIC 118. In other words, the data rate of the barrier interfacemust be variable, depending on the sigma-delta rate.

The desired variable data rate for the barrier interface hasconventionally been obtained by varying the barrier clock rate to obtainthe desired data rate. In a simplified example, if the modem 100establishes a v.34 communication with another modem at a symbol rate of2,400 Hz (for which a ΣΔ rate of 1.843 MHz is needed), the DSP 102 orsome other barrier clock controller 113 may set the barrier clock rateto a rate equal to two times 1.843 MHz, or 3.686 MHz, so that duringeach ΣΔ interval, at least one forward ΣΔ sample and one reverse ΣΔsample may be transmitted across the barrier interface. In contrast, ifthe modem 100 establishes a v.34 communication at a symbol rate of 3,429Hz (for which a ΣΔ rate of 2.634 MHz is needed, per Table 1), thebarrier clock may be set to a rate of two times 2.634 MHz, or 5.268 MHz,again so that during each ΣΔ interval, at least one forward ΣΔ sampleand one reverse ΣΔ sample may be transmitted across the barrierinterface. Thus, the clock rate in this simplified example would have tobe able to operate over the range from 3.686 MHz to 5.268 MHz (i.e., anincrease of 42%) to accommodate the full range of v.34 symbol rates.Moreover, the barrier clock rate would have to be correspondinglyincreased if control and status information was to be communicatedduring each ΣΔ interval.

Unfortunately, this conventional technique of varying the barrier clockas a function of the symbol rate or sigma-delta rate causes at least twodifficulties. First, if the LSIC 118 derives its local clock from thebarrier signals via a clock recovery circuit, the clock recovery circuitloses synchronism with the barrier signals each time the barrier clockchanges. Until the clock recovery circuit re-acquires the new clockrate, the SSIC 106 and the LSIC 118 are unable to communicate. Second,the clock generating circuit in the SSIC 106 and the clock recoverycircuit in the LSIC 118 are relatively complicated and expensive,because they must accommodate the entire range of clock rates across thebarrier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Having identified the above difficulties associated with avariable-clock-rate barrier interface, the present inventors developedan innovative communication protocol and barrier interface having anapproximately fixed barrier clock and capable of accommodating a varietyof symbol rates, sampling rates and/or sigma-delta rates (collectively,“communication rates”). More particularly, the invention employs avariable-length frame that may be expanded or reduced to reach a desiredcommunication rate, even though the barrier clock rate is heldapproximately constant. Each master frame preferably includes afixed-length data portion and a variable-length dummy portion. For afast communication rate, the variable-length dummy portion may be small,such that the overall frame length is small and many frames may betransmitted during a given time period. For a slow communication rate,the variable-length dummy portion may be large, such that the overallframe length is large and only a few frames may be transmitted duringthe same time period. Thus, the minimum frame length corresponds to thefastest communication rate, while the maximum frame length correspondsto the slowest communication rate.

The invention further provides a method for designing an agile barrierinterface. In particular, the barrier clock rate is preferably selectedto be an approximate common multiple of the various communication ratesthat the barrier interface must handle. The frame length correspondingto each communication rate may then be obtained by dividing the barrierclock rate by the ΣΔ rate.

Finally, the invention provides an agile communication circuit capableof communicating data across a serial interface at a variety of datarates and at an approximately fixed interface clock rate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described indetail in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a communication circuit suitable foruse in the invention;

FIG. 2 is a timing diagram depicting a communication protocol using avariable-length frame in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram depicting a further communication protocolfor balancing the flux of the isolation barrier over consecutive framesin accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described above, the invention employs a variable-length frame thatmay be expanded or reduced to reach a desired communication ratenotwithstanding an approximately fixed barrier clock. An exemplarycommunication protocol using such a frame is depicted in FIG. 2. Paddedframe 220 includes a basic frame 222 (i.e., the fixed-length dataportion) and a number of padding bits 230 (the variable-length dummyportion).

The specific composition of the basic frame 222 will depend on whetherthe barrier interface has only a single serial communication link ormultiple communication links. FIG. 2 depicts an example of the formercase, in which the barrier interface is a single serial communicationlink over which both forward- and reverse-going sigma-delta data andforward- and reverse-going control information is to be transmittedduring each master frame. In the frame shown in FIG. 2, therefore, theSSIC 106 transmits during time slots 201-208 and the LSIC 118 transmitsduring time slots 209-212.

In order to preserve the flux-balance in the isolation barrier, eachtransmitted bit is preferably Manchester encoded using a conventionalencoder. That is, a “0” bit is encoded as the two-bit sequence 01 and a“1” bit is encoded as the two-bit sequence 10. It should be understoodthat if flux-balance is not a design concern (e.g., where the isolationbarrier is a capacitive barrier), such encoding is not required.

As shown in FIG. 2, the basic frame 222 preferably includes:

(1) a forward data bit during time slots 201 and 202 (shownManchester-encoded as DF, followed by NOT DF), transmitted by SSIC 106;

(2) a forward control bit during time slots 203 and 204 (shown as CF,NOT CF), transmitted by SSIC 106;

-   -   -   (3) a predetermined forward framing sequence 326 during time            slots 205-208 (shown as NOT CF, NOT CF, CF, CF) (transmitted            by either SSIC 106 or LSIC 118);        -   (4) a reverse data bit during time slots 209 and 210 (shown            as DR, NOT DR), transmitted by LSIC 118; and        -   (5) a reverse control bit during time slots 211 and 212            (shown as CR, NOT CR), transmitted by LSIC 118.

It will be recognized, however, that if multiple communication links areavailable, then the barrier interface can be simplified by making thelinks uni-directional. If so, then the basic frame may be reduced to thesigma-delta data, control and forward framing sequence for a singledirection (i.e., forward or reverse).

The forward framing sequence may be any unique sequence of bit valuesthat may be used to identify where a frame starts and/or ends. Forexample, in the protocol shown in FIG. 2, the inverse control bit (NOTCF) in time slot 204 is repeated twice thereafter, in time slots 205 and206. This thrice-repeated value provides a unique synchronization(“sync”) pattern that may readily be identified, insofar as Manchesterencoded signals (01, 10) ordinarily do not result in a three-time-slotsequence of the same values. A suitable detection circuit for this syncpattern may be implemented, for example, via a three-bit shift register,where each bit in the register is provided to a 3-input AND gate thatoutputs a signal when the thrice-repeated value is detected. Other framedetection techniques may also be used in lieu of the sync patterndescribed above. For example, a large buffer may be used to storeincoming data, and the buffered data may then be statistically analyzedby a microprocessor to determine the framing, in accordance withtechniques known in the art.

Padded frame 220 preferably also includes dummy or padding bits 230,which may be added or removed to adjust the frame size. In this way, awide variety of data rates may be accommodated without altering theclock rate of the SSIC 180 and the LSIC 182. By way of example, sixpadding bits (e.g., 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1), of alternating values in order toachieve flux balance, are depicted in time slots 213-218. These paddingbits may be provided by either the SSIC 106 or the LSIC 118 after theinterface has been initialized.

FIG. 3 illustrates how an odd number of padding bits may be accommodatedwithout disrupting the flux balance of the isolation barrier. Inessence, the flux of the padding bits is balanced over two consecutiveframes, Frame k and Frame k+1 by using alternating sequences of 0's and1's. For example, if frame k contains the padding bit sequence [01010],frame k+1 may contain the sequence [10101].

The invention further provides a method for designing an agile barrierinterface. In accordance with the invention, a designer selects abarrier clock rate that is an approximate common multiple of the variousdata rates that the barrier interface must handle. The designer may thencalculate the frame length corresponding to each data rate, by dividingthe barrier clock rate by the sigma-delta rate. By way of example andnot of limitation, Table 2 below illustrates exemplary frame lengths andbarrier clock frequencies calculated for a barrier interface capable ofhandling sample rates of 7200, 8000, 8229, 8400, 9000, 9660, 10,287, and11,025 Hz, where the sigma-delta rate is selected to be 256 times thesample rate. TABLE 2 Frame Barrier Symbol rate Sample rate ΣΔ RateLength Clock Application [Hz] [Hz] [MHz] [bits] [MHz] V.34 2400 72001.8432 18 33.1776 Audio N/A 8000 2.0480 16 32.7680 V.34 2743 8228 2.106616 33.7056 V.34 2800 8400 2.1504 15 32.2560 V.34 3000 9000 2.3040 1432.2560 V.34 3200 9600 2.4576 14 34.4064 V.34 3429 10287 2.6335 1334.2355 Audio/ N/A 11025 2.8224 12 33.8688 optional

As reflected in Table 2, one of the approximate common multiples of theabove sigma-delta rates (i.e., 1.843-2.822 MHz) is about 33.3 MHz, whichis taken as the approximately fixed barrier clock rate. Given theapproximately fixed frame barrier clock rate of about 33.3 MHz, theframe length corresponding to each sigma-delta rate may be calculated bydividing the sigma-delta rate into the frame barrier clock frequency.For example, the frame length corresponding to the highest-frequencysigma-delta rate, 2.822 MHz, is calculated as 33.3 MHz/2.822 MHz, or11.8 clock cycles, which may be rounded up to 12 clock cycles, as shownin Table 2. Similarly, the frame length corresponding to thelowest-frequency sigma-delta rate, 1.843 MHz, is calculated as 33.3MHz/1.843 MHz, yielding 18.1 clock cycles, which may be rounded down to18 clock cycles to obtain the frame length corresponding to the 1.843MHz sigma-delta rate. TABLE 3 Frame Barrier Symbol rate Sample rate ΣΔRate Length Clock Application [Hz] [Hz] [MHz] [bits] [MHz] V.34 24007200 1.8432 20 36.864 Audio N/A 8000 2.0480 18 36.864 V.34 2743 82282.1066 17 35.813 V.34 2800 8400 2.1504 17 36.557 V.34 3000 9000 2.304016 36.864 V.34 3200 9600 2.4576 15 36.864 V.34 3429 10287 2.6335 1436.869 Audio/ N/A 11025 2.8224 13 36.691 optional

Table 3 illustrates an example in which a different approximate commonmultiple of the above sigma-delta rates is selected to be theapproximately fixed barrier clock rate—namely, about 36 MHz. Given theapproximately fixed frame barrier clock rate of about 36 MHz, the framelength corresponding to each sigma-delta rate is calculated by dividingthe sigma-delta rate into the frame barrier clock rate. Thus, the framelength corresponding to the highest-frequency sigma-delta rate, 2.822MHz, is calculated as 36 MHz/2.822 MHz, yielding 13 clock cycles.Similarly, the frame length corresponding to the lowest-frequencysigma-delta rate, 1.843 MHz, is calculated as 36 MHz/1.843 MHz, yielding20 clock cycles.

The method for designing the barrier interface may further includeadjusting the approximately fixed barrier clock rate for eachsigma-delta rate, whereby rounding errors that are introduced during theselection of the frame length may be corrected. More specifically, afterthe selection of the approximately fixed barrier clock rate and theframe lengths corresponding to the various sigma-delta rates, acustomized barrier clock rate may be selected for each sigma-delta rate,by multiplying each delta sigma rate by its corresponding frame length.Thus, for the example of Table 2, the customized barrier clock rate fora 1.843 MHz sigma-delta rate, with a length of 18 cycles, may becalculated as 33.1776 MHz. Similarly, the customized barrier clock ratefor a 2.822 MHz delta sigma rate and a frame length of 12 cycles is33.8688 MHz. Customized barrier clock rates may be similarly calculatedfor the remaining sigma-delta rates shown in Table 2. It may be seenfrom Table 2 that a barrier interface capable of transmittinginformation at symbol rates including 2400, 2743, 2800, 3000, 3200, and3429 will preferably be capable of operation at the correspondingcustomized barrier clock rates shown in Table 2, which range betweenabout 32 MHz and about 35 MHz. The customized barrier clock rates shownin Table 3 may be calculated in a similar manner, resulting incustomized barrier clock rates of between about 35 MHz and about 37 MHz.

The invention further provides an agile communication circuit capable ofcommunicating data across a serial interface at a variety of data ratesand at an approximately fixed interface clock rate. Such a communicationcircuit may be implemented using conventional modem or DAA components asshown in FIG. 1 and as described above in the Background section. Inparticular, modem processor/DSP 102 includes a circuit and/or softwareof a type well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art of modemdesign for selecting a communication rate (e.g., a desired symbol rate,sample rate, or sigma-delta rate). The SSIC 106 includes a system I/Ointerface 108 for communicating with the DSP 102, a conventionalsigma-delta modulator 112 for converting forward-going data signals toforward-going sigma-delta signals, a conventional integrator-basedsigma-delta decoder circuit for decoding reverse-going sigma-deltasignals into data signals, and an isolation barrier interface circuit114 for transmitting and receiving sigma-delta signals to and from theLSIC 118 across the isolation barrier 117. The SSIC 106 further includesa protocol framing circuit 116, which buffers and organizes the datatransmitted and received by the isolation barrier interface circuit 114.The SSIC 106 further includes a variable-rate clock generator comprisingbarrier clock controller 113 and associated voltage-controlledoscillator 115, for generating a variable-rate barrier clock signal.

The LSIC 118 includes an isolation barrier interface circuit 120, aline-side sigma-delta digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”) 126 whoseoutput is connected to a transmit buffer 128, and a sigma-deltaanalog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) 122 whose input is connected to areceive buffer 124. The LSIC 118 may further include a clock-and-datarecovery circuit 125 to derive a local clock signal from the signalsreceived across the isolation barrier.

The agile communication circuit described above operates as follows.First, modem processor/DSP 102 selects a frame length and interfaceclock rate for the digital isolation barrier based on a desiredcommunication rate (i.e., modem symbol rate, sample rate, or sigma-deltarate)—e.g., by looking up the frame length and interface clock rate in alook-up table. Modem processor/DSP 102 then communicates the selectedinterface clock rate to the barrier clock controller 113 in SSIC 106.The barrier clock controller 113 receives the selected interface clockrate and outputs a corresponding analog signal to the voltage controlledoscillator 115. Based on this analog signal, the voltage-controlledoscillator produces a digital clock signal that may be used in interfacecircuit 114 as the isolation barrier clock.

Modem processor/DSP 102 also communicates the selected frame length tothe framer circuit 116 in interface circuit 114. The framer circuitbuffers data from modem processor/DSP 102 and packages the buffered datainto frames having the selected frame length, by inserting anappropriate number of padding bits at the end of each basic frame.

The present invention provides a number of advantages over prior artisolation barrier interfaces. In particular, both the voltage-controlledoscillator in the system-side interface circuit that generates thebarrier clock and the clock-and-data recovery circuit on the line-sideinterface circuit are enabled to run at an approximately fixedfrequency. Both can stay locked to the approximately fixed frequencyeven when the sample rate changes. Moreover, because they only need tooperate over a relatively small frequency range, they can be optimizedfor low-jitter performance. Finally, the sigma-delta clock in theline-side circuit may be derived directly from the frame synchronizationpulse.

Having thus described a few particular embodiments of the invention,various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occurto those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications andimprovements as are made obvious by this disclosure are intended to bepart of this description though not expressly stated herein, and areintended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only, andnot limiting. The invention is limited only as defined in the followingclaims and equivalents thereto.

1. A method for selecting an interface clock rate for a variable-rateserial interface, comprising the steps of: identifying two or morecommunication rates for communication of data across the interface;calculating an approximate common multiple of the two or morecommunication rates; and selecting the approximate common multiple asthe interface clock rate.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the two ormore communication rates are symbol rates selected from the groupconsisting of 2400, 2743, 2800, 3000, 3200, and
 3429. 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the two or more communication rates are sample ratesselected from the group consisting of 7200, 8000, 8229, 8400, 9000,9660, 10287, and 11025 samples per second.
 4. The method of claim 1,where the two or more communication rates are sigma-delta rates selectedfrom the group consisting of 1.843, 2.048, 2.107, 2.150, 2.204, 2.458,2.634, and 2.822 MHz.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the approximategreatest common denominator of the two or more communication rates isone of about 33.3 MHz and about 36 MHz.
 6. The method of claim 1,further comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of frames, eachframe corresponding to at least one of the two or more communicationrates and having a frame length.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein theframe length for each of the plurality of frames is obtained by dividingthe approximate common multiple of the two or more communication ratesby the respective communication rate.
 8. The method of claim 7, whereinthe frame length for each of the plurality of frames is one of (i)between about 12 and about 18 clock cycles and (ii) between about 13 andabout 20 clock cycles.
 9. The method of claim 6, further including thestep of adjusting the interface clock rate for each of the two or morecommunication rates to the rate obtained by multiplying eachcommunication rate by its corresponding frame length, thereby yieldingtwo or more customized interface clock rates that correspondrespectively to the two or more communication rates.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the two or more customized interface clock rates arewithin one of (i) the range of about 32 MHz to about 35 MHz and (ii) therange of about 35 MHz to about 37 Mhz.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein the two or more customized interface clock rates are selectedfrom one of (i) the group consisting of 33.1776, 32.7680, 33.7056,32.2560, 34.4064, 34.2355, and 33.8688 MHz and (ii) the group consistingof 36.864, 36.864, 35.813, 36.557, 36.864, 36.864, 36.869 and 36.691MHz.
 12. A method for communicating data at multiple communication ratesover a serial interface having an approximately fixed interface clockrate, comprising the steps of: receiving a first rate select signalindicating a first communication rate; transmitting over the serialinterface a first frame including a first datum and a first quantity ofpadding bits corresponding to the first communication rate, at theapproximately fixed interface clock rate; receiving a second rate selectsignal indicating a second communication rate; transmitting over theserial interface a second frame including a second datum and a secondquantity of padding bits corresponding to the second communication rate,at the approximately fixed interface clock rate; whereby the first datumis communicated at a rate corresponding to the first communication rateand the second datum is communicated at a rate corresponding to thesecond communication rate.
 13. The interface circuit of claim 12,wherein each of the first and second communication rates is a symbolrate selected from the group consisting of 2400, 2743, 2800, 3000, 3200,and
 3429. 14. The interface circuit of claim 12, wherein each of thefirst and second communication rates is a sample rate selected from thegroup consisting of 7200, 8000, 8229, 8400, 9000, 9660, 10287, and 11025samples per second.
 15. The interface circuit of claim 12, wherein eachof the first and second communication rates are sigma-delta ratesselected from the group consisting of 1.843, 2.048, 2.107, 2.150, 2.204,2.458, 2.634, and 2.822 MHz.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein theapproximately fixed interface clock rate is an approximate commonmultiple of the first and second communication rates.
 17. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising the steps of adjusting the approximatelyfixed interface clock rate based on the first communication rate, beforetransmitting the first frame; and adjusting the approximately fixedinterface clock rate based on the second communication rate, beforetransmitting the second frame.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein theapproximately fixed interface clock rate is adjustable within one of (i)the range from about 32 MHz to about 35 MHz, and (ii) the range fromabout 35 MHz to about 37 MHz.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein theapproximately fixed interface clock rate is selected from one of (i) thegroup consisting of 33.1776, 32.7680, 33.7056, 32.2560, 34.4064,34.2355, and 33.8688 MHz and (ii) the group consisting of 36.864,36.864, 35.813, 36.557, 36.864, 36.864, 36.869 and 36.691 MHz.
 20. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the first and second frames further includea framing sequence.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first andsecond datum are Manchester encoded and wherein the framing sequence isthree consecutive bits of same value during three consecutive clockcycles at the approximately fixed interface clock rate.
 22. The methodof claim 12, wherein each of the first quantity of padding bits and thesecond quantity of padding bits is one of (i) an integer number between0 and 6, and (ii) and integer number between about 0 and
 7. 23. A methodfor transmitting and receiving information across a serial interfaceduring a single TDM frame of the serial interface, comprising the stepsof: transmitting a forward data bit across the serial interface during afirst time slot in the TDM frame; transmitting a forward control bitacross the serial interface during a second time slot in the TDM frame;transmitting a predetermined forward framing sequence during a thirdtime slot in the TDM frame receiving a reverse data bit during a fourthtime slot in the TDM frame; and receiving a reverse control bit during afifth time slot in the TDM frame.
 24. The method of claim 23, whereinthe serial interface employs Manchester encoding, and wherein thepredetermined forward framing sequence is represented by a one of a“111” bit pattern or a “000” bit pattern during three consecutive clockcycles of the serial interface.
 25. The method of claim 23, furthercomprising the step of transmitting a quantity of padding bits in theTDM frame.
 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step ofdetermining the quantity of padding bits based on a desiredcommunication rate.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step ofdetermining a quantity of padding bits comprises the steps of: receivinga signal indicating the desired communication rate; and looking up thedesired communication rate in a look-up table to obtain the quantity ofpadding bits corresponding to the desired communication rate.
 28. Anagile communication circuit capable of communicating data across aserial interface at a variety of data rates and at an approximatelyfixed interface clock rate, comprising: a processor, configured toselect a communication rate and a frame length corresponding to theselected communication rate; and a framer circuit, connected to theprocessor and configured to receive data from the processor and toinsert the data into at least one variable-length frame for transmissionover the serial interface, the length of the at least onevariable-length frame being based on the selected frame length, whereinthe length of the at least one variable-length frame determines thecommunication rate of the serial interface, and wherein the interfaceclock rate remains approximately fixed and approximately independent ofthe selected communication rate.
 29. The communication circuit of claim28, wherein the communication rate is a symbol rate selected from thegroup consisting of 2400, 2743, 2800, 3000, 3200, and
 3429. 30. Thecommunication circuit of claim 28, wherein the communication rate is asample rate selected from the group consisting of 7200, 8000, 8229,8400, 9000, 9660, 10287, and 11025 samples per second.
 31. Thecommunication circuit of claim 28, wherein the two or more communicationrates are sigma-delta rates selected from the group consisting of 1.843,2.048, 2.107, 2.150, 2.204, 2.458, 2.634, and 2.822 MHz.
 32. Thecommunication circuit of claim 28, wherein the approximately fixedinterface clock rate is within one of (i) the range of about 32 MHz toabout 35 MHz and (ii) the range of about 35 MHz to about 37 Mhz.
 33. Thecommunication circuit of claim 28, wherein the selected frame length isone of (i) between about 12 and about 18 interface clock cycles and (ii)between about 13 and about 20 interface clock cycles.
 34. Thecommunication circuit of claim 28, wherein the framer circuit isconfigured to insert a predetermined quantity of padding bits in each atleast one variable-length frame.
 35. The communication circuit of claim28, further comprising a frame-length lookup table correlating framelength with communication rate, and wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to select a frame length by looking up the selectedcommunication rate in the lookup table.
 36. The communication circuit ofclaim 28, further comprising a variable-rate interface clock generatorconnected to the processor, and wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to select a customized interface clock rate based on thecommunication rate and to pass the customized clock rate to thevariable-rate interface clock generator.
 37. The communication circuitof claim 36, wherein the customized interface clock rate is selectedfrom one of (i) the group consisting of 33.1776, 32.7680, 33.7056,32.2560, 34.4064, 34.2355, and 33.8688 MHz and (ii) the group consistingof 36.864, 36.864, 35.813, 36.557, 36.864, 36.864, 36.869 and 36.691MHz.
 38. The communication circuit of claim 36, further comprising aclock-rate lookup table correlating clock rate with communication rate,wherein the processor is configured to select the customized interfaceclock rate by looking up the selected communication rate in theclock-rate lookup table.
 39. The communication circuit of claim 36,wherein the variable-rate clock generator includes a barrier clockcontroller capable of producing a voltage corresponding to the selectedcustomized interface clock rate; and a voltage-controlled oscillatorconnected to receive the voltage produced by the barrier clockcontroller and to produce a clock signal having the selected customizedinterface clock rate, for use as the interface clock signal.
 40. Amethod for identifying a frame break in a TDM interface employingManchester encoding, comprising: transmitting or receiving one of a“111” bit pattern or a “000” bit pattern during three consecutive clockcycles of the TDM interface employing Manchester encoding.